Identify Your Needs

The process of strengthening and forming new partnerships begins with examining your program needs. You may wish to begin by gathering a group of stakeholders and discussing questions such as those below. The Strengthening Partnerships Implementation Planner can help you get started.

What do we know about the needs and interests of the students and families participating in the 21st CCLC program?

What do we know about the school? Are there academic subjects or programs we can supplement or enhance?

What are things we are currently providing, or could provide, using existing resources? Do our staff have talents or skills that could be shared with students?

What do they still need? What are examples of resources, experiences and opportunities not currently being provided by the program?

You may find it very useful to conduct a needs assessment that will help you better understand different aspects of your program and the schools you serve. This process could involve reviewing program-planning documents, student performance data, and information about community needs and issues. You can also survey your students, their families and teachers.

Tips to Get Started:

Don't Reinvent the Wheel

Chances are, you did a lot of this thinking when you wrote your 21st CCLC application. Going back to review the application now can help you see what your program set out to support, and it may reveal some of the progress you've made. If you don't have access to your application, ask for a copy from your grants manager or director.

Involve a Variety of Stakeholders

Throughout the process of identifying needs, be sure to connect with colleagues from the school and the 21st CCLC program to gain a variety of perspectives and inputs. Talk to parents, community members and the students themselves. If you are not already collaborating and meeting with school staff, this is a great time to start.

Strengthening Partnerships

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Strengthening Partnerships

A group of school staff, partner representatives, and possibly students, that monitors partnership progress toward meeting its goals; recommended for all partnerships but most beneficial for schools and districts with a large number of partners

Any of several types of organizations that serve or are located in your community, including businesses, educational institutions, faith-based organizations, health care organizations and government agencies

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act requires that every school district and every school receiving Title I dollars must have a written parent engagement policy and must build school capacity to effectively implement the policy. The policy must be developed jointly with, approved by, and distributed to parents of participating children and the local community. As a school partner, a 21st CCLC program can be very important to implementing and sustaining the parent engagement plan. Copies of the plan should be available from school and district offices, and may be available on their websites.

A written agreement that establishes a formal working relationship between two partnering organizations; generally includes details such as the services to be provided, the responsible party, and the time period

A formal or informal process to identify and prioritize the differences between services that are currently available and services that are necessary to serve students and families; for example, a lack of a dance program and a high interest level among students indicating the need for a dance program

A formal or informal process to identify and prioritize the differences between services that are currently available and services that are necessary to serve students and families; for example, a lack of a dance program and a high interest level among students indicating the need for a dance program

Hours outside of the regular school day, and they are often used for student enrichment activities that augment regular school-time instruction. Out-of-school time can occur before or after school, or in the summer.

A systematic process designed to build understanding about how a program works and what results it produces; this could include monitoring participation and attendance or comparing students who participate in a program with those who do not participate

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